Nosing-motion for spinning-mules



(ModeL) 4 Sheets--Sheet I.

A. MBTG-ALP. NOSING MOTION FOR SPINNING MULES. No. 248,488. Patented Oct. 18; 1881.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. METCALF. v NOSING MOTION FOR SPINNING MULES.

Patented Oct. 18,1881.

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A. METOALP. I

NOSING MOTION FOR SPINNING MULES.

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No. 248,488. Patented Oct. 18,1881.

(ModeL) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. METCALP. NOSINQ MOTION FOR SPINNING MULES. Y No. 248,488. Patented Oct. 18,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

AARON METUALF, OF PRESTON, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES WATTS, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

NOSlNG-MOTION FOR SPlNNlNG-MULES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,488, dated October 18, 1 881,

' Application filed October 4, 1880. Model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON METOALF, a subject of the Kingdom of Great Britain, residing at Preston, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nosing-Motions; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to nosing-motions, so-oalled, of spinning-mulesthat is, the portion of the quadrant-arm which operates upon the winding-on chain (as the mule-carriage reaches its extreme position during its goingin movement) to gradually accelerate at such time the speed of rotation of the spindles, in order to exert increased tension upon the yarns as the cops reach their completion, and produce a hard firm nose to such cops.

In my nosingmotion the nosing-peg is sup ported upon and adapted to slide to and fro ot' a rigid bar extending laterally from the upper end of the quadrant-arm and toward the mulecarriage, the peg being by suitable mechanism advanced upon the bar with each going-in of the mule-carriage and dip ofthe quadrant-arm, in order to automatically increase the length of the leverage exerted by the quadrant-arm upon the winding-on chain as the mule-carriage reaches the extreme of its going-in traverse, thereby increasing the extent of the accelerated movement of the spindles caused by the descent of the nosing-peg upon the chain.

Details of my improvement consist, first, in mechanism for intermittently advancing the nosing-peg upon its supporting-bar toward the winding-on drum during the dips of the quadrant-arm and going-in ofthe mule-carriage, the same consisting of a ratchet-wheel loosely encompassing the bar, and inclosed within a fork of the hub or head of the nosing-peg, and engaging a screw secured to or within the bar, the ratchet-wheel being intermittently rotated about the bar by a drag-pawl pivoted to a pawlcarrier, which, in its turn, is pivoted to the lower part of the said hub or head and weighted to return it to its normal or idle position, the

ratchet-wheel being rotated by the impact of the carrier with the winding-on chain, which lifts such carrier as the mule-carriage completes its going-in traverse.

My improvements consist, secondly, in a tilting drop lever or latch pivoted to the hub or head of the nosing-peg and operating with the pawl-carrier, and which, during the dip of the quadrant-arm and consequent descent of the bar which supports the peg, drops below or in front of the carrier (or a spur or horn making part of the latter) and restrains the pawl from contact with the winding-on chain while the peg is in contact with the latter, the said drop lever or latch, as the quadrant-arm reaches its erect position, dropping to its normal or inactive position and releasing the pawl-carrier, and permitting the pawl to engage the ratchetwheel, in readiness to advance the latter at the proper time. Heretofore the pawl-carrier has been allowed to rest upon or remain in contact with the winding-on chain, while the nosingpeg is also in contact with such chain, the result in many instances being that the vibrations of the chain actuate the pawl and advance the ratchet-wheel at improper times, thereby producing improper cops. By isolating the pawl-carrier from the winding-on chain at the time stated the pawl remains unacted upon while the nosing-peg is in contact with such chain, and no premature advance of the ratchet-wheel can ensue.

My improvements consist, thirdly, in the employment of a mutilated feed-screw contained within and axially adjustable with respect to the supporting-bar and the ratchet-wheel, and which, in one of its two positions, engages and feeds the ratchet-wheel, and in its other is disengaged from and has no effect upon such ratchet-wheel, and permits the ratchet-wheel and nosing-peg to be returned to proximity with the quadrant-arm with a rapid movement upon completion of the cops. Heretofore, after the nosing-peg has completed its outward traverse upon its support and the cops are completed, it has been returned to its start ing-point in proximity to the quadrant-arm by rotating the feed-screw by hand in the opposite direction-an act that consumes considerable time. By mutilating the feed-screw and adapting it to engage or disengage the ratchetwheel which advances the nosing-peg I am enabled to push the peg upon the bar and return it to its normal position with a single rapid movement.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent-,in Figure 1, a sectional elevation of a mule containing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan, Fig. 3 an under side view, Fig. 4 an end elevation, and Fig. 5 a cross-section, of the nosing-motion containing my improvements. Fig. 6 is a crosssection of a mutilated feed-screw. Fig. 7 is a view of one end of the feed-screw and its supporting-bar. Fig. 8 represents a modified construction of the supporting-bar and peg, and Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the nosing-motion. Fig. 10 is an end view of the ratchet-wheel and its frictionbrake.

In these drawings, A represents the head of a mule; U, the lower part of the mule-carriage; ]),its sickle; E, its winding on drum; I the belt-cylinder; G, the spindles driven thereby; H, the winding-on chain; 1, the quadrant; J, the quadrant-arm; and K, the quadrant-nut, which connects the winding-on chain with the quadrant-arm.

In carrying my improvements into practice I employ a straight cylindrical rigid bar, A, of uniform diameter, which is secured at its base or head to the upper end of the quadrant-arm and extending laterally from the latter toward the winding-on drum, this bar serving as a support and guide to the nosing-peg, (which is shown at G,) and being formed upon opposite sides with' longitudinal parallel grooves or recesses 13 and O. The groove B receives the screw for feeding the nosing-peg upon the guide-bar A, (such screw being shown at D as extending from end to end of such bar,) while the groove 0 receives a spline upon the head or hub of the nosing-peg which extends into and plays in such groove, and, while permitting of longitudinal traverse ot' the peg upon the bar, prevents rotation of such peg upon such bar.

The feed-screw D, when in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, (which is shown at F,) is mainly supported by such wheel, the end journal, a b, of the screw being deposited loosely in forked bearings c and d in the ends of the bar A, such bearings permitting of slight lateral play of the screw, but preventing vertical or end play of it.

The screw D is peripherally threaded, and passes through the screw-threaded bore 6 of the ratchet-wheel, such bore being of considerably larger diameter than the periphery of the screw, in order that the latter shall engage or take into but one side of such bore, as shown in the drawings.

The screw D is mutilatedthat is to say, a portion of its thread is cut away upon one side throughout its lengthas shown at], in order to release the ratchet-wheel, and when the in-' tact portion of the screw is in engagement with the screw-threaded bore of the ratchetwheel the nosingpeg is fed outwardly upon the bar; but when the screw is turned axially in its bearings and its mutilated sidepresented to the nearest portion of the said bore, the nosing-peg and its adjuncts may be moved longitudinally and rapidly upon the bar independent of the screw. The screw D is allowed to remain in engagement with the ratchetwheel and feed the nosing-peg outward upon the bar A until the cops are dofted, when the screw is changed in position so as to present its mutilated side to the nearest portion of the screw-thread of the ratchet-wheel, and the nosing-peg and its adjuncts are pushed by hand to the opposite end of the bar.

To enable the screw D to be readily changed in position a handle may be secured to one end of it, as shown at g, and an abutment, h, may be added to the adjacent part of the bar A, to operate with a stop or stud, i, on the handle, to determine the extentof rotation ot'the screw, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The bodyportion of the nosing-peg G projects laterally from the bar, and operates with the winding-on chain, as shown at H, the re main'der of such peg consisting of a furcated hub or head, I, which surrounds and slides longitudinally upon or about the bar A and screw D, and carries a spline, j, which enters the groove or recess U bet'ore named, and prevents rotation of the hub about the bar, as before stated.

The ratchet-wheel F is disposed within the furcated head of the nosing-peg, and is supported in position longitudinally of the bar by such head, while the bore of this wheel is, as before stated, screw-threaded, as shown at e, such bore being of larger diameter than that of the screw D, in order that the threads of the latter, as before mentioned, shall engage but one side of it.

To prevent a premature return or slip movement of the ratchet-wheel about the bar, I introduce a friction element in the form of a forked bar or plate, J, the open or furcated end of which embraces a hub, 1, upon the ratchet with a pressure due to the inherent elasticity of its arms, the base of the forked plate being secured to the inside of the body of the peg.

The pawl-carrier before named is shown at K as pivoted at one end to the hub or head of the nosing-peg at the side of the latter nearest the channel 0 of the bar A, as shown atk, this carrier K being yoke-shaped and extending about and over the said bar, with its nose or lifting-plate 0 standing on a level with or at a point somewhat below the axis of the screw D, upon the side of the latter opposite the pivot is, the under side of the lifter, being preferably fiat and broad, to prevent entanglement with the links of the winding-on chain.

The draw-paw1 which actuates the ratchetwheel is shown in the drawings at L as pivoted at its upper end to the top or crown of the pawl-carrier K, the lower end or hook of such pawl engaging the teeth of such wheel as the carrier rises, thereby advancing" the ratchet about the bar and feeding the nosingpeglongitudinally upon thelatter; At'a point in the pawl-carrier above its pivot, and immediately opposite to or coincident with the groove 0 of the bar A, I screw through such carrier a screw,p, the inner end of which, as the carrier and pawl drop, abuts against the bottom of such groove, and thereby determinesthe number of teeth of the ratchet-wheel engaged by the pawl, as the retraction of the screw permits of a longer descent of the carrierpawl, and vice versa.

. The upright drop lever or'latch before mentionedis shown at N as pivoted at its lower end to the hub of the nosing-peg, and adapted to swing-from one sloping position to the other past a line drawn through the pivotofsuch peg at right angles to the axis of the bar A,-theupper and free end of thislatch N beingweighted to accelerate its tilting movements past a perpendicularand overcomethefrictionbetweenit and the pawl-carrier when the two are in contact.

The operation of my device is as follows, it being understood that the full cops have been dofl'ed, and the building up of new'ones about to begin, the quadrant arm being'in an erect position, the mule-carriage run out, and the quadrant-nut and winding-on chain in their lowest positions, with the feed-screw engaging the ratchet-whee]. With each stretch of the mule-carriage the quadrant-nut, with one end of the winding-on chain, begins to climb the quadrant-arm, and these respective movements continue without contact ofthe nosing-peg with the chain until the cop-bottom is completed, at which time the chain has reached such an elevation as to be struck by the peg during the next ensuing dip of the said quadrant-arm. Thereafter, with each outgo of the mule-carriage and dip of the quadrant-arm, and as the latter closely approaches its lowest position,

the pawl-carrier first abuts against the chain, and then is by the latter raised and feeds the ratchet-wheel the given extent upon the feedscrew, thereby advancing the nosing-peg upon its supporting-bar and increasing the distance between it and the quadrant arm, and as a consequence bringing it nearer the winding-on drum, and with each dip of the quadrant arm increasing the length of throw or leverage of the peg, and exerts through a constantly-id creasing length of time a suddenly-increased tension between the spindles and yarns by acceleratin g the rotation of the winding-on drum and belt-cylinder, in order, as before stated, to increase the firmness and solidity of the point or nose of the cop as it is built up. As the quadrant-arm completes its descent the nosin gpeg abuts against and depresses the windingon chain, and suddenly accelerates the rotation of the winding-on drum and transmits this increased speed of rotation through the belt-cylinder to the spindles, the effect of which is to exert increased tension upon the yarns during (or a spur or arm, n, making part thereof) until,

as the pawl-carrier strikes the chain and is raised, the spur n-passes by andpusbes the latch N to one side, and such latch settles back by its own gravity behind such spur, and, as before stated, retains the pawl-carrier at such an elevation above the chain that the vibrationsot' the latter have'no etTect to advance the ratchet. As the mule-carriage goes'out, and the quadrant-arm returns to an erect position, carrying with it the barA and its adjuncts, the latch N tilts byits own gravityin an opposite direction and permits the pawl-carrier and pawlto drop to take a renewed hold upon the ratchet-wheel. The winder of the mule now doft's the cops, turns the feed-screw D in its bearings until it is freed from engagement with the ratchetwheel, and pushes the nosing-peg audits adjuncts by hand up to the quadrant-arm, finally reversing the position of the screw and compelling it to engage the ratchet-wheel; The quadrant-nut is now lowered to the bottom of the quadrant-arm, and the mule is in readiness to begin the formation of new oops;

By operating the nosing-peg through direct contact with the winding-on chain,as explained, I obtain a great ad vantage over those actuated by levers or other independent devices acted upon at each stretch of the mule-carriage, and in which the peg is ol'necessity moved outward during the entire time of building up the cops. In my motion the nosing-peg does not exert its functions until the bottom ofthe cop is completed, and the quadrant-nut, with one end of the winding-on chain, has climbed to a corresponding height upon the quadrant-arm, this being the time at which the additional tension upon the yarns should begin.

By advancing the nosing-peg and its adjuncts toward the outer end of their supporting-bar, as stated, I increase the weight of the quadrant-arm andthe force with which itstrikes the winding-on chain, at the same time causing the nosing-peg to approach gradually the winding-on drum, the result being that each descent of the peg upon the chain increases thelength ottime of the accelerated movements of the spindles to correspond to the diminishing diameter and sloping position of such spindles.

In lieu of the pawl-carrier, acted upon by the winding-on chain to operate thepawl and ratchet, other means may be employed to efi'ect this result. For instance, the pawl may be arranged to be operated by the nosing-peg itself without the intervention of an intermediate carrier, the carrier being permitted a slight axial play by making the groove 0 wider than the splinej, as shown in Fig.8 of the accompanying drawings. It will thus be seen that at each stretch of themule-carriage and dip ofthe quadrant-arm,

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after the cop-bottom has been completed, the nosing-peg and pawl-carrier and pawl move outward upon their supporting-bar with an increased leverage upon the winding-on chain, and this traverse of the peg and its adjuncts continues until the end of bar is reached and the cops are ready for dofling, when the screw 1) comes in contact with and ascends the outer end of the incline q, in which the groove 0 terminates, and raises the opposite side of the pawl-carrier and elevates the pawl-carrier to such an extent as to prevent the latter, on further descent of the quadrant-arm, from being acted upon by thechain, thereby automatically arresting the traverse ot' the nosing-peg and its adjuncts upon the bar.

I claim- 1. In a nosing-motion for spinning-mules, a screw which is threaded on one side only, in combination with a nosing-peg, an internallyscrew-threaded ratchet-wheel attached thereto, thecentralopening in said ratchet-wheel being of larger diameter than said screw, a supporting-bar for said no ing-peg, a quadrant-arm to which said bar is attached, a mule-carriage, a winding-on chain, and a pawl and pawl -carrier actuated by impact against said chain to rotate said ratchet-wheel and feed said nosingpeg on said screw, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ofa feed-screw, a nosing peg fed thereby, a pawl, pawl-carrier, and

ratchet-wheel, and supporting-bar A, with a winding-on chain, mule-carriage,and amovable latch operating to protect the ratchet-wheel from the vibrations of the winding-on chain, substantially as set forth.

3. The friction-plate J, in combination with the nosing-peg, the ratchet-wheel, and the bar A, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with bar A and ratchetwheel F, having ascrew-threaded opening, the screw D, adapted to engage with the screwthreaded portion of said ratchet-wheel on one side only of said screw, the quadrant, windingon chain, mule-carriage, and actuating devices for said ratchet-whee1,substantially as set forth.

5. The bar A, screw D, quadrant, windingon chain, mule-carriage, pawl, and pawl-carrier, in combination, with ratchet-wheel F, actuated by said pawl and provided with a screwthreaded opening larger than said screw, in order thatsaid screw may at will be engaged with or disengaged from the screw-threaded part of said ratchet-wheel.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AARON METUALF.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM HENRY TYE, ALFRED WALSH,

Clerks to Mr. Jmnes Clarke,

Notary Public, Preston. 

